Top 5 Bullet Proof Cars That Are Available And Sold Previously In India Offering Crazy Levels Of Protection!

If you are a fan of action movies like ‘Olympus Has Fallen’ or the recently released TV show called ‘The Gentlemen’, you might be aware of the concept of armored vehicles. While glorified in the movies, armored vehicles do actually exist in the real world. They might be a novelty for the general public, but when you reach a certain stage in your life where you have the power to influence economies, policies, and the livelihood of the common man, your security, especially on the open road, becomes critical. 

This is where armored vehicles come in, which take a standard car and add a whole load of extensive safety revisions, which make them tolerant to bullets, blasts, and even poisonous gases. India has already seen a great deal of such vehicles that have existed previously, continue to exist and will be coming in the near future. Here is a list of some of them:

Available To Buy In India

BMW 7 Series Protection 

The 7 Series is at the zenith of BMW's sedan lineup, offering the best of luxury from the German carmaker. It has been recently launched with a facelift that comes alongside an electric iteration. However, the 7 Series Protection armored vehicle in question is actually based on the pre-facelift model. 

It arrived in India in early 2024 with looks that are nearly identical to the standard 7 Series so that it is easier to camouflage the vehicle in a convoy. But looks can be deceptive and in this case, they are very much so, because with VR9 level of protection, this 7 Series is no standard 7 Series. 

It has a protective shell made out of 10 mm ballistic steel, thicker glass, and underbody armoring as well. It even has a self-sealing fuel tank and run-flat tires, which can do speeds of up to 80 kmph for around 30 km, despite a full pressure loss. So be it a bullet, sniper or a bomb, this car can handle pretty much everything.

Such reinforcement comes with a weight penalty with the vehicle weighing nearly 4,000 kg, but that's not a problem for the 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine under the hood, which can take this very capable armored vehicle from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds. 

Private Customisation Options 

Options of armoured vehicles in India are limited, but you can get your favourite car customised for added protection. One such company is called INKAS Armored Vehicle Manufacturing from Canada, which specializes in armored vehicles. They operate on a wide range of vehicles, including special purpose vehicles, commercial vehicles, limousines, trucks, sedans, and SUVs. So if you have the cash and the vehicle, they can modify basically everything from a Toyota Land Cruiser to a Bentley Bentayga. You can then import these vehicles to India. 

In fact, there are local companies in India as well that modify mass-market vehicles like a Mahindra Scorpio and Toyota Fortuner and convert them into armored vehicles. And while the concept of getting an armored vehicle for your family to keep them safe from any unforeseen threats is compelling, it is highly unrealistic for the general public because of the costs involved. As a result, these armored vehicles are either reserved for establishments, the military, high-net individuals, or bureaucrats. 

Previously Sold

Audi A8 L Security 

The A8L is the flagship sedan of the German carmaker Audi and the security version was launched in India back in 2023, just in time for the G20 summit, where the Indian government had leased a few of these for convoy purposes.  isually, the car might not look very different to the standard car but it got VR9-certified bodywork, which offered protection against hundreds of rounds of 7.62 mm bullets. The windows had a VR10 level grade of protection for safety against sniper shots and the fuel tank was self sealing to avoid leaks.

To withstand grenade blasts, the underbody had been reinforced and it also had been antimagnetized so that magnetic bombs don't stick to the car. Furthermore, the car also has a cabin filter for protection against harmful gases and a fire extinguisher on the outside so that the car can go through fire without any issues. While it is supposed to protect the occupants from explosives, the car itself has some explosives hidden in the door hinges that can blow the doors off in case the passengers want a quick exit. 

With so many security revisions that increase the weight, Audi replaced the 3-litre six-cylinder engine with a 4-litre turbo-petrol V8 to make sure there is no dearth of power in case of a high-speed chase. All of this protection over the standard vehicle came at a premium of Rs 13 crore over the standard A8L. 

Land Rover Range Rover Sentinel 

As far as armored protection vehicles go, the Range Rover Sentinel is probably the most recognized of the lot as it has done duty in the fleet of India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and international bureaucrats like Rishi Sunak. It is based on the previous generation of the Range Rover and was crafted by Land Rover's Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) division. As expected, it got a whole load of protection against all kinds of extremely hostile situations.

The core shell was reinforced for better protection. It got a blast protection roof as well, which offered defense against multi-angle attacks, underfloor blast protection, run-flat tyres and of course, the glass is armored as well for protection against bullets. Interestingly, if the occupants want to make an emergency exit, there is a dedicated escape system located through the rear luggage compartment and the tailgate, which allows for an escape even if the doors are unusable.

For propulsion, it came with a supercharged V8 petrol engine and also has upgraded chassis, suspension, and braking systems to accommodate all of the additional security features. All of this protection, alongside the Range Rover's innate off-road ability, made it a very safe, comfortable and capable SUV.

Expected Upcoming Options

Mercedes-Benz S-Class Guard 

Just like the BMW 7 Series, the S-Class is the flagship of Mercedes-Benz's sedan lineup. For high-risk individuals who want luxury but also safety, Mercedes has the option of the S-Class Guard right from the factory in global markets. The older Mercedes Maybach S650 Guard historically performed duties in PM Modi's fleet back in 2021 and was launched in India in 2015. It is also traditionally used by high profile people like Mukesh Ambani. We expect Mercedes to launch the new S-Class Guard in India following the recent facelifted launches of the standard S-Class and Maybach S-Class soon.

With an in-house-developed integrated protection system and guard-specific protective cell, Mercedes claims that the S-Class Guard has the highest ballistic certification standard for civilian vehicles, with a protection rating of VPAM VR10. So be it a regular bullet, a high-caliber gunshot, a grenade, or even mine explosions, the S-class guard will keep its occupants safe. For further protection it even gets fire extinguishers, emergency fresh air systems, a panic alarm system, and external communication and servo-assisted doors for additional safety. Just like the other cars in this list, it also gets special run-flat tyres.

Unlike the other cars in this list, the S-Class Guard is powered by a 6-litre V12 turbo-petrol engine. It rides on air suspension and Mercedes says that the entire drivetrain and the braking system have been adapted to compensate for the additional weight. 

Vinfast LacHong 900 LX

The Vinfast LacHong 900 LX Is an armoured luxury SUV that is based on Vinfast's VF9 platform. It has never been seen in India, but Vinfast did recently file a patent for it, which could hint at the SUV making its way to our shores sometime next year.

The vehicle is fully armored to a VPM VR7 protection rating, with a reinforced body, chassis, glass doors, and rear bulletproof windows. It is equipped with run-flat tires that are capable of traveling up to 100 km after being shot. It is also equipped with specialized equipment such as an oxygen system to support oxygen supply and an integrated fire extinguishing system as well. 

The LacHong 900 LX is the only electric vehicle in this list with up to 455 PS and 620 Nm from its dual motor setup. In Vietnam, it is used for the Head Of State's vehicles and for officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In an ideal world, safety shouldn't come at a price, but in the real-world, not only does it come at a price, but it comes with a premium.